Fluke 12
after fixing the issue where its buttons stop working its been a pleasure to use
My favourite bench meter: Keithley 196
My favourite handheld meters: 2 x Brymen BM867
My "best" meter: HP3457, I don't use it as much and tend not to like measuring amperage with it.
My most "modern" benchtop meter: Keithley 2015THD
Great! Can you check please, is that Sanwa model really made in Japan, not Taiwan, Malaysia or China?
Sure, but I have just lent it to my friend. I'll let you know as soon as I get it back.
My recent purchase, Rigol 3068 with 6.5 digits of goodness.
As far as I've seen I'm in the minority here with an analog multimeter. This was my father's before he finally got himself a digital meter and gave this one to me.
I have the exact same meter. I think it cost ~$10 about 20 years ago. It lives at my mom's house for whenever she needs me to fix things around the house
My main meter now is a Fluke 189 though.
Not a DMM, but measures multiple voltages.. a powersupplay tester for computer PSU`s.. handy to test ATX . BTX and ITX PSu`s,
20/24 pin ( ATX - connector )
Voltage test : +12V , -12V , +5V , -5V , +3.3V , +5V Stand by (SB) 12V power Good ( PG ) Connectors : Floppy, HDD , CDROM , SATA , 4pin ( P4 ) , 8pin ( Dual-CPU ) , 6pin ( PCI-Express )
Connect it to the PSU and it starts the PSU automaticaly.
Cost under a 10$, but worth the money if you have a lot of PC repairs..
http://www.ebay.com/itm/PC-LCD-20-24-Pin-PSU-ATX-SATA-HD-Power-Supply-Tester-/170953669087?pt=US_Computer_Power_Supply_Testers&hash=item27cda1f9df
Here are the ones Ive been using lately.
Saving up for a fluke 8808a or maybe a 8845a or maybe a tektronix dmm4020 or 4040.
OK, I'll do this one too...
My favorite general-purpose meter is my Heathkit IM-11 analog volt/ohmmeter. The reading is amplified by a vacuum tube so it has a nice 11 Mohm input impedance. I've modified it: replaced the 1/4" phone jack with bananas, separated the common input from the chassis (yeah, somebody at Heath actually thought connecting common to chassis was a good idea on a non-earthed meter
), earthed the chassis (the damn thing radiated 60 Hz like nothing else), replaced the old, drifting resistors in the voltage divider, and replaced the D cell (for resistance measurements) with an LM2575-based battery eliminator. (Yep, it really will pump 100mA into a low resistance, and I didn't feel like setting up a heat sink for an LM317...)
For more precise measurements, I use my Fluke 8600A. I love the LED display, very easy to read no matter how tired my eyes are. Autoranging, too, though I don't use that much.
For more precise measurements, I use my Fluke 8600A. I love the LED display, very easy to read no matter how tired my eyes are. Autoranging, too, though I don't use that much.
What happened to the HP 3468A ? Sold ?
No, just annoying to use and overkill for most purposes. I still use it when I need it - the extreme (for me, at least) precision and recently calibrated accuracy are handy sometimes. I use it as a reference to adjust other meters.
The white plastic under the 8600A in that picture is the top of the 3468A.
Hi,
after a few years of ebay, dumpster-diving I used to own several Multimeters.
A had some cheap crap I donated to people I didn't really like and some good ones (two Fluke 8600, Kithley 179, some other Fluke) I gave to people I did like
or donated it for our Ham-Club-Station.
The ones that are in my posession right now:
HP 3478A
Philips PM 2524 (my first Benchtop)
Prema 6001 (I'm sure no one knows them, but they made really highest Quality stuff)
"Voltcraft" M-4660M (that was my first MM)
Tektronix DMM912 (whoever produced this...)
Gossen 22S (my mostly used one, got it damaged and repaired it)
For Broadband-Voltage-Measurement I use a HP 3400A.
Prema made indeed very good and stable benchmeters. I have a prema 5017.
I'd love to get my hands on a Prema 8017.
7 1/2 Digit, and nearly the same features as Agilent's new 34461A. But it was build somewhat 15 Years ago!
Just got my second meter! I've had the Fluke 115 for ~4yrs and recently wanted something with mA and possibly µA ranges. After watching eBay for a while I found this BK 389A NIB for $60. Think I got a good deal?
Hey and IBM Model M! Just like what I have. What is the model number and date code on that?
Which One?
What is the story behind the 16 seemingly identical red meters?
Which One?
What is the story behind the 16 seemingly identical red meters?
Freebies with purchase from some particular store, such as Harbor Freight in here in the US?
Which One?
What is the story behind the 16 seemingly identical red meters?
Freebies with purchase from some particular store, such as Harbor Freight in here in the US?
Are they in any way usefull?
Which One?
What is the story behind the 16 seemingly identical red meters?
Freebies with purchase from some particular store, such as Harbor Freight in here in the US?
Are they in any way usefull?
They're ok for typical battery / ATX PSU voltages. I wouldn't use them for anything requiring high precision, or >100V (including mains voltages).
I recommend them a lot for non-EEs. I get a lot of people who get really weird readings for their computer PSU voltage from some crappy software or their BIOS; I tell them to get a $10 DMM to check and make sure, since software voltage measurement on computers is laughably bad.
In my experience, they're usually within +/-0.5% of my Fluke 87 V at ATX voltages.
Which One?
What is the story behind the 16 seemingly identical red meters?
Freebies with purchase from some particular store, such as Harbor Freight in here in the US?
Are they in any way usefull?
I don't think so. As Dave would say, ". . . they will blow your fucking hand off . . ."
If Dave can come up with a good multi-multimeter test to destruction idea I will send them to him.
As for the Weston's they are all functional and I have used a few for battery/capacitor monitoring/discharge experiments, the Simpson 260 works great and us it all the time on vacuum tube radios, and the three Hickok's is mechanically good but the wiring and some components need repair/replacing.
Cheers, Mark
SEXY ! ! !
Are they in any way usefull?
For low voltage measurements that don't need high accuracy, sure IMHO. Could be useful in a car glove box to check for voltage on the side of the road for example.
Could also be useful as V & A meters on a DIY PSU that's not high voltage or current as well (say 30V, 5A max). Particularly if they were free.
Those Hickok 209A's are a sight to see. I love the large meter. I prefer the looks of the black face one over the silver one. Rebuilt one a couple of years ago but did not have room for it on the bench. Most likely will pick up another at a swap meet at some point.